Utah Takes Nuclear Waste Issue To Court

Utah Takes Nuclear Waste Issue To Court

The State of Utah is asking the courts to review the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's recent decision to authorize the issuance of an operating license for Private Fuel Storage LLC, a company seeking permission to store spent nuclear fuel in Skull Valley, Utah. In documents filed Tuesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, the State outlined its legal objections to the NRC's rulings.

Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., has vowed to stop at nothing in his efforts to keep spent nuclear fuel out of Utah. "With each passing month," Governor Huntsman said Tuesday, "we are expanding our efforts to oppose the PFS plan. We are urging Congress, the Bush Administration, and the courts not to let PFS force us to accept nuclear waste that we didn't produce, we don't want, and shouldn't have to take."

Although PFS has yet to obtain a license from the NRC, the latter has indicated that it will soon issue a license. However, if the NRC proceeds with issuing a license, it will be years before spent nuclear fuel could be stored in Utah. After obtaining a license from the NRC, PFS must still obtain administrative approval from two other federal agencies.

http://www.utah.gov/governor/news/2005/news_11_09_05.html